It was developed by Valve Corporation and released on June 1, 2006.

Originally
called Half-Life 2: Aftermath, the game was later renamed to Episode One after V
alve became confident in using an episodic structure for the game. Similar to Ha
lf-Life 2, Episode One also uses the Source game engine. The game debuted new li
ghting and animation technologies, as well as AI sidekick enhancements.
The game's events take place immediately after those in Half-Life 2, in and arou
nd war-torn City 17. Episode One follows scientist Gordon Freeman and his compan
ion Alyx Vance as they fight in humanity's continuing struggle against the alien
civilization known as the Combine. When the story begins, Gordon wakes up outsi
de the enemy's base of operations, the Citadel, after being left unconscious fro
m the concluding events of Half-Life 2. During the course of the game, Gordon tr
avels with Alyx as they attempt to evacuate the city. As the game comes to an en
d, Gordon and Alyx are caught in a major accident, and their fates are revealed
in the sequel, Episode Two.
Valve views episodes One through Three as tantamount to a standalone release. Ep
isode One is available as part of a bundle package known as The Orange Box, whic
h also includes Half-Life 2, Episode Two, Team Fortress 2, and Portal. Episode O
ne received a generally positive critical reaction, and the co-operative aspects
of the gameplay received particular praise, although the game`s short length wa
s criticized.